


A Little Lost Bird

by Garpie64



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Injury, Dark, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jason Todd-centric, Major Character Injury, Permanent Injury, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-22 23:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Garpie64/pseuds/Garpie64
Summary: Jason Todd has been missing for over a year.No one noticed.
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne
Comments: 40
Kudos: 231





	A Little Lost Bird

**Author's Note:**

> I randomly found this in a scrap folder and realized it was actually complete. This is bleak as fuck and there is absolutely no bright side.

The maniacal laughter echoed into the night air. The clown’s laugh taunted even now as he sat restrained with a few broken bones against the warehouse wall. Dealing with the evil that is Joker always left the Bat family exhausted in every sense of the word. His twisted games played havoc on the mind and emotions. This particular stunt seemed off. There was something strange in the air. The poisoning of various medical shipments, numerous bombs in public buildings, and gang fights had all been dealt with but something hung unfinished even with the Joker in custody. Something about the entire mess felt off. There had been no punchline.

The Joker had given up for too willingly. He had only a few henchmen and seemed docile. There wasn’t even a Joker venom situation. Joker laughed as Batman watched over Robin securing the last of the thugs.

“So many little birdies following you around, Batsy! How on earth do you keep track?”

Robin scoffed as Batman ignored the deranged clown. It only caused Joker to laugh harder.

“Don’t worry, Batsy! I’ll be a good Uncle J.” The Joker’s laugh faded with his face contorting into something sinister. “I took such good care of my little Jay.”

Robin scowled but any response was interrupted by the arrival of Nightwing and Red Robin. The clown grinned sinisterly with gleaming rotten teeth.

“Aren’t you so proud of our little Jay Jay? Our little Robin!” The Joker cocked his head. “No, he’s my little Robin. Always made me so proud. A father couldn’t ask for a better son.”

“Silence you deranged clown.” Robin snapped.

“He did so well, my little birdie. Made you pity him. Made you love him. My precious Jay Jay even died so perfectly! He’s always been such a good little boy.”

“Shut up.” Red Robin hissed.

“Oh, little Red seems to have a soft spot for Junior.” Joker leered. “He made me so proud! Little Junior’s such a goody boy. He came back to me all grown up and pretty.”

“Can we just lock this clown up already?” Nightwing growled.

Red Robin tried to stay neutral. “GCPD’s here to pick up all suspects.”

True to his word, officers arrived to collect Joker and his thugs. As the bound Joker was dragged away, his face warped into something truly demonic.

“Junior’s waiting, Batsy. Don’t keep him waiting too long. I wouldn’t dream of hurting my baby boy, but the boys aren’t so nice.”

No. The Joker hadn't taken anyone. Everyone had been accounted for the entire mission. Batman ordered a quick role call confirming everyone had wrapped up their respective tasks of dismantling the Joker's game The deranged clown hadn't captured any of his flock so who did this threat target?

“You don't think...” Nightwing murmured.

Red Robin ignored him. “Oracle, do you have Hood's location?”

Batman's blood ran cold. The Joker always referred to Jason as his greatest joke.

“No, Red. I don't actively track him, even if I could.” There was a note of annoyance at the mention of the family black sheep.

“Can you find him?”

Batman wasn't panicked. He wasn't upset. HE simply worried. Hood was a dangerous criminal who could take care of himself. There was no reason for Batman to be concerned.

“I can't find a trace of him.” Oracle sounded somewhat perturbed.

“No surprise.” Robin sneered. “Todd isn't stupid enough to allow anyone to track him.”

Red Robin glared at him, but Oracle interrupted him.

“No, I can’t find anything of him; no police reports, sightings, news, nothing. Wait...I just got a signal from a tracker; in the warehouse with you.”

Worry creased over Red Robin's face. “Are you sure?”

“Affirmative. A distress beacon, probably his, activated half an hour ago. We were all still wrapped up in catching the Joker.”

Pain spiked in Batman's chest. Jason had needed him and he hadn't even known. No. Hood was dangerous, but Joker was the priority. Anything dealing with Hood could have waited.

“Uh, B...over here.” Nightwing called from a side door circled in green. In his hands was a small blinking device. Hood's tracker.

Red Robin rushed forward to take the device from Nightwing's hand. He seemed fixed on the device before turning to the door that they were all suppose to enter. It creaked open added to the sudden tension in the warehouse. The stench of blood was nearly overpowering. Dark rusted stains and feathers coated the walls and floor of the dark hallway. The various shades ranging from sharp brutal red to disgusting sickening brown said that the dead birds were not the source for all of it. The rot was overwhelming.

Nightwing cringed as he covered his nose. “I really don't want to go down there.”

Red Robin simply swallowed as he pushed forward trying to ignore the dead birds and his own tumbling stomach. The hallway led to yet another door with a Joker card tapped to it. Summoning all of the courage he could muster, Red Robin opened the door to reveal a small dim room. Floodlights flashed on illuminating Joker's greatest joke All four of the Bats froze.

Bile rose up in Red Robin's throat. He stumbled at the disgusting sound of blood and gore beneath his boots. Nightwing immediately raced off top a corner to empty his stomach. Robin had gone stiff, but he was shaking. Batman was frozen and blank. He couldn't think; couldn't move.

“Jason...” Red Robin croaked.

In front of them was what remained of Jason Peter Todd. The broken bloody body hung by his hands impaled on a rusty meat hook. The floodlights perfectly shone every mutilation of his bare chest and arms. Dried blood gooped in his greasy matted hair and nearly every inch of exposed skin was marred or scarred. Loose crimson stained bandages hung haphazardly from him – some nearly completely unraveled and others torn. Dried gore coated his skin and clothes. There was no sign of life with the limpness of his head. Red Robin swallowed thickly when his eyes fell to the freshest wounds still oozing crimson liquid.

The Joker's message had been carved into Jason's chest.

“Happy Anniversary Batsy”

April 27th. It was April 27th – the day Jason had been murdered by the Joker in that godforsaken warehouse. No one else had moved, but Red Robin rushed forward. His hands hovered unsure and terrified of hurting Jason further. He couldn't tell if he was breathing.

Please be breathing.

Jason wasn't responding to any stimuli.

No. He couldn't be dead. They had just started to feel like brothers. Jason was the one he could count on to help him when others didn't understand. Saturday morning breakfasts would never be the same without him. He couldn't take that. 

Red Robin's shaking hands reached up to Jason's throat to find his pulse.

It was faint, but it was there.

“He's alive!” Red Robin called. “Help me get him down!”

With Batman still frozen, Robin pushed past as Nightwing gingerly made his way over. Robin slashed the chain and Jason dropped like a lead weight. Red Robin and Nightwing caught caught him. He was lighter, frighteningly so. His head lolled back against Nightwing's shoulder causing his mouth to part and a raspy breath escape. Blood splattered his lips and chin with wheezing pants.

“Jay, Little Wing, can you hear me?” Nightwing's voice was broken and quiet with emotion. “Come on, Jay. You have to wake up.”

There was no response, but then again they couldn't tell if his eyelids flickered with the bloody bandages covering most of his head. Red Robin and Robin set to work cutting and removing the hook from his hands while Nightwing held him. He could feel the blood seeping from the countless open wounds through his suit. Tears pricked at Nightwing's eyes as he looked at all the damage covering his little brother.

Batman swallowed. “Oracle, we found Jason.”  
* * *  
Tim was literally buzzing with anxious energy. His leg bounced as he turned the old beaten flash-drive over in his hand. It had fallen out of Jason's pocket with a sickening smiley face gleaming up at him. Dick hadn't stopped pacing the same ten feet since they took Jason into surgery hours ago Damian was uncharacteristically silent – not even snapping at Tim's incessant fidgeting. Cass was curled up quietly in the plastic waiting chair with Steph. Bruce was his usual silent pillar of stone.

Alfred let out an exhausted sigh as he entered the hospital. His wards were a mess; the family fraying under the stress of what the insidious clown had done yet again.

Why Jason? Why must it always be Jason? The boy didn't deserve such cruelty.

“Young Masters and Misses, I must press for all of you to return home to rest.” Alfred stood before them.

“Can't.” Tim answered immediately. “Can't just leave him.”

“I understand, Master Timothy, but sitting here in a waiting room will not help Jason.” Alfred braced himself. “Master Jason's surgery will take several hours and he will most likely be resting for several days. Now, will you all please return to the manor so that you can take care of yourselves?”

Dick seemed to agree if reluctantly. He began to usher his younger siblings. “We'll be notified as soon as he's out of surgery. C'mon.”

“I can't just eat and relax while Jason's fighting for his life.” Tim argued.

Alfred gave him a very pointed look. “I do believe if Master Jason were to see you in such a state he would give you quite a lecture.”

Tim winced at that. Leave it to Alfred to use Jason to guilt trip him. Of course, he was right. Jason would completely ignore his own injuries to lecture him on his lack of care. Still, he didn't want to leave Jason alone. God knows what he went through at Joker's hands. Tim's eyes widened. How long had Joker had him? He needed to find out what had happened. His attention turned yet again to the beat up flash-drive.

He clenched his fist around it before following his siblings out of the hospital. Bruce stayed.  
* * *  
Against Alfred's wishes, Tim ducked down into the Cave to start his investigation. First thing first: he hacked the hospital files to find out exactly what happened to Jason. He felt a new wave of nausea as he read each new line. Dick slipped down into the Cave to find Tim curled tightly in the chair. 

“Tim?” Dick questioned as he noticed the silent shaking of the younger boy's shoulders.

“He's not going to be the same.” Tim's voice was hoarse with emotion. “He won't be Jason.”

“What are you talking about? Jason's going to be fine. We both know how stubborn he is. He'll come back kicking.”

Tim shook his head violently before gesturing to the screen. “He won't be able to bounce back from this.”

Dick turned his eyes up towards the monitors and swallowed thickly. Something constricted painfully in his chest. How had Jason survived? The list went into such specific detail. Tim ducked his head with Dick taking a moment to compose himself. Only then did he commit the list to memory.

Jason had suffered numerous broken bones. His right wrist, jaw, six ribs, a femur, both ankles and several toes had severe breaks that would take months to heal. Sadly, they weren't the worst of his wounds. He also had three fractured ribs, a fractured pelvis, and wrist. Five of his fingers, a tibia, his nose, and one of his knees were all shattered and the more he looked at the x-rays the more he felt that Jason may never walk again. He fought down bile as he read over even more disturbing injuries. There were several second and third degree burns littering his body along with deep lacerations, heavy bruising, actual brands, and evidence of several whipping sessions. 

Dick paused; took a deep breath; and continued. He really wished he hadn't. There was so much nerve damage. And his spine...he would be paralyzed. Jason wouldn't be able to handle that. He relied so heavily on fighting crime. He wouldn't be able to handle never being able to walk on his own again. Jason was also in a severe state of starvation and dehydration. He showed signs of muscle atrophy, pneumonia, and septic shock. Unsurprisingly they found traces of fear toxin and Joker venom. 

There were several missing teeth and all of his fingernails and toenails had been torn off. Dick's eyes widened as he reached the last of the injuries.

“No...he didn't...” Dick croaked.

“His fingers.” Tim whispered. “He cut them off. He also tore out his eyes and then cut out his vocal chords.”

Dick looked down at Tim. “How do you know?”

Tim threw the flash-drive onto the dash. “He recorded some of the torture sessions. Joker waited until the night we found him to cut his throat. Said he wanted to hear Jason sing until the end.”

Dick looked down at the drive in horror. “Y-you watched it?”

Tim nodded. “Eighteen months. That's long how Joker had him. In that warehouse. Right under our noses.”

“Tim.”

“Jason was enduring absolute hell right in front of us and we had no idea. He didn't even believe we were coming.” Tim shut his eyes tightly. “If Jason survives this, I don't think he'll ever live again. I don't think he should wake up...Is that wrong to say?”

Dick's throat felt tight. He didn't know. He really didn't know. He wanted Jason alive and whole and with them again. He wanted peace for a man who had been tormented for so long. Was it selfish? With everything that's happened – and they only knew his physical wounds – would it be merciful to let Jason go? Should they let Jason die? 

“I don't know, Tim. I really don't know.” Dick whispered. He closed his eyes and lost himself in his guilt. “Tim...what's all on the drive?”

Tim looked up at Dick. “Are you sure you really want to see it?”

“No. I don't want to see it, but if we're going to try to help Jason we need to know everything that happened to him.”

Tim studied him for a moment before reaching over and starting the first video. Neither would sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://garpie64.tumblr.com/)


End file.
